


Pairs

by Jace_Diaz_Of_Hell



Category: Animorphs (TV), Animorphs - Katherine A. Applegate
Genre: Hancock AU, M/M, i hope you like it tho!!, i know its a weird au, jake/marco is weirdly written but its defs there, superhero au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2018-01-08
Packaged: 2019-02-18 20:55:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13108362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jace_Diaz_Of_Hell/pseuds/Jace_Diaz_Of_Hell
Summary: "Him and I... whatever we are, we were born in pairs. Some were soulmates. Rachel and Tobias. Jake and I. Cassie... her other half was her worst enemy, David. He killed all three of them."Marco's eyes rose to meet Jake's, more serious than he had been that entire night. "He wants to kill us, too."





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this is a gift for my secret santa. due to some personal circumstances i won't be around to post it on time, so i'm putting it up early!

His name was Jake Berenson.

 

He knew that much- in his wallet, the first time he had woken up with no memory, there was a photo ID of him. It had a picture where he looked rather uncomfortable, peering into the camera, and his name. It also said how old he was- he had woken up in 1998, and the ID said he was eighteen.

 

He was fairly certain that his age was fake, because he had random _flashes_ of memory sometimes, things that were far before the 90s.

 

But the name was all he had, so he went with it.

 

The only other thing he knew about himself was that he was a superhero.

 

Supposedly.

 

It didn't make sense for a superhero to be an amnesiac like he was, but all the 'evidence' was there- he had super strength, he could do things no one else could do ( _flying,_ for one- he was certain no other human could do that). He was invulnerable, unable to be hurt so far (it didn't explain why he had woken up on a hospital operating table).

 

Oh, and there was the small fact that he could turn into animals.

 

He had nearly had a heart attack the first time he found out about it- he had been petting his golden retriever, just a puppy in his arms, and wondered idly for a moment what it would be like to be a dog.

 

And then blond fur had sprouted, his arms cracking as bones shifted, and he started screaming.

 

It took quite a while to be used to _that_ small detail, and he was careful not to use that particular power in front of the people he saved.

 

–

* * *

 

 

The people who he helped save didn't like him.

 

He knew, and he didn't care. In the back of his mind, he knew faintly he was missing something by not talking to other people.

 

(A dim flash of a girl with dark eyes and a bright grin shone in his mind, turning away. This happened sometimes- he thought it might be memories of his).

 

 _Lonely,_ a voice whispered in the back of his mind.

 

He threw off the covers, getting a coffeepot going and grabbing one of the history textbooks he had recently bought.

 

Time to learn more about the world he lived in.

 

–

* * *

 

 

When he came across the Holocaust, he had to close his book.

 

For a moment he stared into silence, not knowing what to think.

 

So much cruelty over what people believed in? So much _hate,_ that someone would do that to _millions_ of people?

 

(His mind supplied him with a short flashback to the 40's- mind full of fear, looking at headlines that were more and more grim, someone's light voice in the background, trying to be there for him- then it was gone again, and he forgot what he had been thinking about.)

 

He started going to Synagogue again that week- sitting in the back rows, listening to people speak. He found that practicing his religion again helped him find peace, helped a little with the awful emptiness he felt at times.

 

–

* * *

 

 

There was a train headed right for the line of cars.

 

Some damn guy thought he could get ahead of the traffic, and now he was going to get splatted if Jake didn't act.

 

He swore, then picked up the poor soul's car and threw it off the freeway, watching the train rush by only a foot ahead of him.

 

Why was this sort of thing the only time he felt alive? When he had to act, to take charge and do something? The rest of the time he felt like he was sleepwalking, dreaming up everything and anything around him.

 

The guy crawled out of his upended car, rubbing the back of his head. He had a nosebleed and a scrape on his forearm, but otherwise looked none the worse for wear.

 

Jake waited for the people to get ugly like they usually did, trying to figure out what would be said a split second before it _was_ said.

 

(It could be something about his religion, or to get his head out of his ass, or complaining about property damage- that last one happened a _lot,_ unfortunately.)

 

Before anyone started yelling, the man he had thrown off the train tracks stuck out his hand.

 

“My name is Ax Isthill.” He said, his hazel eyes bright as he grinned. “Thank you for saving my life.”

 

It was the first time no one had yelled at him, and Jake had no idea what to do. After a long moment he shook the outstretched hand, smiling a bit uncomfortably- he wasn't used to the smile, more often serious or angry.

 

“ Jake Berenson. Nice to meet you, Ax-man.”

 

–

* * *

 

 

 

Wonder of wonders, Ax Isthill didn't hate Jake. Even more wonderful, he had invited Jake over for dinner.

 

“You can meet my husband and my daughter!” He said brightly, running a hand through his hair. Said hair was brown wild curls, shot through with gold. Something about him seemed familiar, and for a moment images whirled through Jakes head again – then they were gone.

 

Jake wasn't sure whether or not to accept- most people didn't really like his brooding attitude, and he was so unused to conversation.

 

He opened his mouth to say no...

 

“Sure. Why not?”

 

Ax grinned again, his entire face lighting up.

 

“Marco's making fajitas, and I _know_ you're going to love it.” He promised.

 

–

* * *

 

 

“Daddy!!” Screamed a little girl, as soon as Ax's slightly-damaged car pulled into the driveway. She had red hair in wild curls like Ax's and coffee-with-cream skin. “You're late for dinner!!”

 

“Hey, sweetheart.” Ax said, scooping up the girl. “I know, I'm sorry. I got into trouble today, but this guy here rescued me.”

 

The little girl looked over her father's shoulder, then squeaked and turned to look at her father.

 

“You brought _him_ here?” She asked.

 

“She knows me?” Jake asked a moment after, entirely confused.

 

“She does, you're her hero.” Ax said with a sheepish grin. “My reasons for inviting you _might_ have been a little selfish.”

 

At that moment another figure appeared in the doorway. There was an easy grin on his face as he started down the steps towards Ax. And then he saw Jake, and several emotions crossed his face- recognition, a brief moment of intense grief and then anger, and then he settled back into the grin, now more forced.

 

“I see what's going on here.” The man joked, setting his hands on his hips and staring up at Ax. “You're gonna be Astrid's favorite parent for _months_ now. Cheater.”

 

“At least this is free. Not like the surprise trip you took us on to Disneyland.” Ax retorted, smiling. He seemed more relaxed with his family, still upbeat but without the underlying nervousness Jake had sensed about him.

 

“Hey, that was _amazing.”_ The person said, before casting another look at Jake. His expression darkened instantly, and his tone suddenly turned polite but chilly. “I'll get another plate set out. I'm Marco Solis- Isthill, nice to meet you.”

 

“Nice to meet you too.” Jake said. Marco didn't reply, but turned and walked back up the stairs silently.

 

“Sorry about that.” Ax said after a moment. “Marco doesn't like sudden changes. Neither do I, actually. It's part of the reason we get along so well.”

 

“I've experienced worse.” Jake said easily, calling up the smile he had to use on the rare ocassion he got caught by a reporter.

 

If only he could remember what seemed so _familiar_ about Marco. For a moment, looking at him felt like he was somewhere safe, somewhere good. As though he were home.

 

But he was certain that he was just imagining things. In the nineteen years since he woke up on the hospital table, he had never once run into Marco.

 

* * *

 

–

“ _Daaaad,_ I don't like veggies.” Protested Astrid, folding her arms and pouting. After the first ten minutes of her silently staring at Jake, she had suddenly adjusted to the entire situation and moved her chair as close to his as was possible.

 

“It's just peppers.” Marco said easily, dishing out a plate for Jake and handing it to him. “I know you don't mind those, you've eaten them before.”

 

Jake folded up his tortilla, watching as the little girl huffed.

 

“I'll give you an extra dessert if you eat it all.” Marco added casually, giving Ax a plate before sitting down. Astrid dug in immediately, grinning.

 

“She likes a good bargain.” Marco said lightly, grinning at Ax.

 

Ax had torn off almost half of his fajita and couldn't speak for a moment, swallowing the food and then downing some water.

 

“I'm pretty sure you gave her that particular trait.”

 

Jake was silent for a while, just watching the back and forth. He hadn't seen family dynamics in.... he couldn't remember. If he had always been this isolated, he probably never had.

 

 _There's a nice thing to think about,_ Jake thought, nearly rolling his eyes at himself. He returned his attention to the plate in front of him, taking a bite out of the fajita.

 

_Wow._

 

“This is amazing, Marco. Thank you for cooking.” He said. The food was a lot better than what he probably would have done- grabbing Little Cesars and browsing through TV on his couch in his small apartment alone.

“No problem. My husband is hopeless at cooking.” He said, bumping Ax's shoulder. Ax grinned lightly, shrugging.

 

“It's true. Astrid and I probably would have starved to death if I hadn't met him.”

 

“How did you two meet?” Jake asked, only mildly curious, then wondering if it was a polite question to ask.

 

Apparently it was, because Ax smiled lightly.

 

“Well, my wife Estrid died when Astrid was just a baby. She was maybe nine months old at that point, and I... I had a lot of trouble functioning for a while. I was trying to figure out what was okay for a baby to eat- I think I was going to give her applesauce?? Anyways, Marco was working at the grocery store as a stocker back then, and directed me to the actual baby food and whatnot. I saw him later because one of his friends had dragged him out to the park, and we got to talking, went on a date two months later. We got married- how long ago was it now?”

 

“Three years, four months.” Marco said, rolling his eyes. “The wedding was a disaster. _None_ of us knew how to tie a bowtie, so then Rache- I mean, Melissa, an old friend from college- had to come and save us.”

 

As _Rache- I mean, Melissa-_ was spoken, Jake caught a flash of blonde hair and bright blue eyes in his mind's eye. He shook it off, smiling a bit.  
  
“That sounds like it was an adventure.” Jake said lightly. Marco shrugged.

 

“Really, it wasn't. I'd been on too many adventures. This is a lot better. It's steady, I'm happy here.”

 

“I'm glad for you.” Jake said, then thought twice and found he really _was_ glad. He didn't know Marco in the slightest, but somehow he felt convinced he thought Marco deserved happiness.

 

–

* * *

 

 

After dinner, Astrid had begged her parents into letting Jake stay for _Moana._ She started nodding off after about half the movie, and fell asleep just before the big confrontation.

 

“I'll put her to bed.” Ax said, scooping up Astrid lightly, heading for the stairs.

 

“I'm just gonna load the dishwasher.” Marco called up the stairs. “Jake, do you want to help me?”

 

“Yeah, sure.” Jake said. He didn't know where the remote was, so he just left the movie playing and went to the next room.

 

Marco tilted his head intently, listening for any sounds that came from upstairs. When it became clear there was nothing, he whirled around to face Jake, scowling.

 

“Right. What do you want?”

 

The sudden change in Marco from cheerful husband to surprisingly intimidating had Jake taking a step back.

 

“You asked me to come help load the dishwasher.” He said slowly, leaning against the counter.

 

“Not what I meant.” Marco hissed, glaring at him. “Why are you _here?”_

 

“Your husband invited me.” Jake replied, a little bewildered as to why Marco seemed so furious.

 

“You're telling me you just _happened_ to be in this town? Just _happened_ to be around to save Ax?”

 

“Well, yeah.” Jake said. “This was the cheapest place I could find in California, and I don't really know anything about anywhere else. And as for that, I pass by those tracks all the time. It's on the way to my house.”

 

Marco's eyes narrowed as he stared at Jake, obviously gauging the truth of his statement.

 

“ _Riiiight.”_ He said after a moment, drawing the word out so the sarcasm would be obvious. “I'm gonna need you to leave. And don't come back to my home.”

 

“Why?” Jake asked, tilting his head. It was like a string had snapped in Marco, and suddenly he was grabbing Jake's arms just above the elbows, surprisingly strong.

 

“ _Why?”_ Marco snapped. “I've got a life now, Jake. One that doesn't always involve fear and worrying about you and all that _bullshit._ I've got a husband and a daughter, and I'm _happy._ Is that enough of a reason for you, fearless leader?”

 

The last words jolted another memory out of his mind.

 

_A bunch of young adults, crowded around in a barn. Animal noises in the background. There was someone next to him, holding his hand, and he was looking across at the other three._

 

 _There was the black girl with the eyes that made her seem so_ wise, _leaning her head against the blonde girl's shoulder. A boy with dirty blond hair held the black girl's hand, and was pressing a kiss to the blonde's temple._

 

“ _You don't_ get _it, Jake.” Snarled the girl, her blue eyes stormy. “He threatened my baby sisters. I want that fucker **dead.** ”_

 

“ _I understand, Rachel.” His voice said, “But dealing with David won't be that easy. You **know** that.”_

 

“ _And the fearless leader also happens to be the voice of reason.” Said the person holding Jake's hand, their accent rough and comforting, voice familiar._

 

“Do I _know_ you from... from Before?” Jake blurted out, surprised.

 

Marco's fury vanished, replaced by panic and a little confusion.

 

“Before?” He asked.

 

“Before the accident.” Jake said. “Before... _something_ happened, in 1998. I don't know what. I just know I woke up and I didn't know who I was, or where I was, or anything.”

 

Marco's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to speak, maybe throw out some sarcastic comment or actually give Jake some information.

 

“Marco? What's going on?”

 

Ax was standing in the doorway of the kitchen, one hand holding the tv remote. Judging from how wide his eyes were, Jake guessed he had been there when Marco snapped at him.

 

_Well, shit._

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i did it again where there's now gotta be a third chapter to wrap things up??
> 
> eternally grateful to my beta reader Purrs, who's helped me not be an idiot with my writing multiple times!!!

Marco led them back into the living room, sitting down and running a hand through his hair in agitation.

  


“How do you know Jake?” Ax asked, keeping his voice calm, though Jake could tell he was confused and kind of nervous.

  


“Well... I guess you could say he's my ex-husband. Ex being the operative word.” Marco said.

  


“ Husband?” Jake and Ax asked at the same time.

  


“Yeah.” Marco said, breathing out nervously. “But we haven't been together in nineteen years, so...”

  


“That's the same time I got amnesia.” Jake said, and Marco flinched visibly.

  


“That was because of David.”

  


“Alright, who the fuck is David?” Ax asked, and Marco's eyes widened slightly. He laced his fingers together, staring down as though his hands held the secrets of the universe.

  


“Ax, what you need to understand- people like Jake and I, we were built in pairs. Some of us were soulmates. Rachel and Tobias, Jake and I. Cassie, though... her other half was her worst enemy, David. He killed Cassie, Rachel, and Tobias.”

  


Marco looked up at Jake now, more serious than he had looked the entire night. “He wants to kill us, too.”

  


“Both of us?” Jake asked sharply, his mind taking on the clarity it always did when he was in action.

  


“Well, more specifically you.” Marco said. “You were our leader, he sees you as the biggest threat. He'd kill me if he could find me, he hates my guts, but ultimately he doesn't see me as a threat.”

  


“I thought we were invulnerable?” Jake asked, and Marco sighed.

  


“You're only invulnerable when you're away from your other half. When you and your other half are together, you start aging, turn mortal. That's why I left you the last time David found us, so that you would survive, but we keep finding each other. Even when you couldn't remember me, something led you straight to the city where I was living. Now that we're so close, either one of us could be hurt or killed.”

  


Jake absorbed all of this before speaking again.

  


“So, I shouldn't be here.”

  


It wasn't a question, but a statement. Marco made a sort of twitch, looking pained.

  


“Technically not- I don't want Astrid or Ax getting hurt, honestly. But-”

  


Jake didn't stay to hear the but. He stood up and left the room, front door opening a few moments later.

  


Marco went to the window, watching Jake on the street. He knew from experience that all it took was a running leap and he'd be gone, but Jake stayed for a moment.

  


Ax crossed the room, slipping an arm around Marco's waist and smiling slightly when Marco leaned back into him.

  


At that moment, Jake started morphing, a strange pattern etching itself across his skin. He began shrinking, his legs thinning out rapidly.

  


“You still love him, don't you?” Ax asked, voice hushed as he watched Jake change.

  


There was a moment of hesitation before Marco answered.

  


“I do.” He confirmed. “And part of me always will. A big part. You know?”

  


“I understand.” Ax said, smiling softly.

  


After all, part of him was always going to love and miss Estrid.

  


Outside, a falcon scooted along the sidewalk a few feet before taking off. It hit a thermal and rose up quickly, out of eyesight within moments.

–

Jake needed to feel the clear focus of the peregrine falcon's mind for a while. All it wanted to do was hover on the thermals, look for prey, and watch out for predators bigger than it. He angled his wings, soaring away from Marco's house, his mind just beginning to sort through all the information he had dumped on him.

  


So, Marco was his soulmate. He supposed that explained how familiar Marco had seemed to him.

  


The blonde girl from his past was Rachel. The girl who seemed so wise to him was Cassie, and the boy from his memory who had been with them was Tobias.

  


And they were all dead.

  


As Jake attempted to pull more memories out of the blank stretch from before 1998, something slammed into him. He felt blinding pain as a wing snapped, then focused his mind on becoming human.

  


<<Hello, Big Jake.>> A voice sneered in his mind.

  


Another flashback threatened to overwhelm Jake, but he managed to absorb it while attempting to glide to the ground, feeling his beak soften and turn into lips.

  


Blond hair, brown eyes with a calculating look.

  


“You know, I bet a lion could beat a tiger. What do you say we find out?”

  


<<Hello, David.>> Jake replied, trying to stay calm. The golden eagle slammed into him again and he tried to speed along the demorphing process, praying he'd be too heavy for the golden eagle to lift.

  


He wasn't sure if he'd make it, feeling David's talons bite into his shoulders, feeling himself be lifted up into the air. A distant memory in his mind, watching a video of a golden eagle carry away a human child, sparked. Jake realized this might be the fight he didn't walk away from.

  


Thankfully, his bulk weighed him down, slowing the golden eagle's rise. He snapped an elbow back and felt it strike wing, heard an outraged bellow in his mind as he dropped.

  


Maybe he could have outflown David in his normal body, but he couldn't be certain, so he let himself hit the ground, denting the pavement.

  


He took off running again, far faster than a normal human would have been able to. He heard the high cry of the golden eagle, and it- David- dived, raking Jake's head and leaving behind bloody gashes. He landed on the ground, feathers melting together, and Jake stopped, whirling around.

  


“You know, I've been looking for you for nearly twenty years now.” David said almost casually, reaching up and picking a backpack out of a tree. “Wouldn't have found you if I hadn't been watching the news. That story about you saving the guy from getting hit by a train?” David grinned, shaking his head. “You never could stand by and watch something happen.”

  


Jake didn't respond, his eyes tracking the backpack. It was old, worn and almost certainly belonged to David- meaning he had planned this.

  


David can think things through almost as well as Marco. Jake thought hazily. He didn't know how he knew it was true, but it was. Something told him Marco could see every angle of every situation and guide circumstances to his advantage.

  


“Where's that husband of yours, anyways?” David asked, looking around. “Would have liked to talk to him again.”

  


“We broke it off.” Jake said, shrugging a shoulder as though it hardly mattered- not hard to do, because until an hour ago he had never known he was once married or in love.

  


David laughed, unzipping the backpack and rummaging around.

  


“Do you think he'll come pay his respects?”

  


Out of the backpack came a gun.

  


Shit. **Fuck.** Even Jake couldn't avoid getting shot. His muscles tensed and he tried to leap into the air, to fly away.

  


First came the sound- not the comical pop pop pop some tv shows described, but like a miniature explosion, and then the force like being struck with a sledgehammer thrown out of a moving car one,two,three times.

  


He was down on the ground, feeling dizzy as the pain from the bullet wounds hit. He could hear sirens in the distance, stared down at the blood leaking out of the three holes in his torso.

  


Morph, you idiot! A voice screamed in his head. Jake tried to obey the voice, tried to concentrate on the form of the tiger he knew he could be, but his mind wouldn't form a clear picture.

  


He looked up at the sky, feeling as though he were falling down a tunnel as gray swarmed his vision.

  


The sirens grew louder and then suddenly stopped, and just before he lost consiousness, he saw the face of an EMT.

  


Blackness.

–

The late night news was running. Ax had fallen asleep on the couch, and Marco was half-listening as he did the dishes.

  


His mind was horribly muddled- the clear, bright line he normally saw was hidden now, and he felt like he could barely breathe.

  


When Ax brought Jake back home, that careful wall Marco built over the past nineteen years had shattered. For a moment he wanted to race down the stairs, throw himself into Jake's arms and yell at him for taking so long.

  


Then he saw Ax grinning at him, which was a reminder of the life he now lived. And the real wake up call- a complete lack of recognition in Jake's eyes.

  


He had no idea who Marco was.

  


And then Marco remembered David, and he knew he had to keep Jake away.

  


There was no doubt in Marco's mind that David would hurt Astrid without a second thought if it meant hurting Marco.

  


And Ax--

  


The sound of Breaking News shook Marco from his thoughts.

  


“Opinions vary on whether he's famous or infamous, but Jake Berenson, local hero, was maliciously attacked only a few minutes ago.”

  


Marco rinsed his hands and turned off the water, whipping around to face the TV. They were showing a blurry recording, but two things were obvious.

  


Someone had shot Jake. And second, that the someone was David.

  


“ Mr. Berenson was shot three times in the chest at close range and was just rushed to the local hospital while unconsious. There have been no updates on his condition.”

  


Marco turned off the TV, the fog in his mind clearing. The line was back, just as bright as it had always been.

  


The local hospital was far enough away from his and Ax's house that Jake would have time to recover.

He had to go visit Jake and see for certain his wounds had healed.

  


And then he had to disappear- hide out at home for a few weeks. It was the only way possible that David wouldn't track him down.

  


But first, he shook Ax awake. His husband sat up, his green eyes still sleepy.

  


“Wh- What time is it?” He asked.

  


“It's late, Ax.” Marco said, working hard to keep his voice gentle. “David found Jake. I need to go to the hospital and see if Jake's healing as he should.”

  


Ax still looked sleepy, but now there was a certain alertness to his gaze too. As Marco turned away, Ax grabbed his hand so Marco would look at him again.

  


“Be safe, okay?” He asked, seriously. “Do what you need to do, and don't get yourself killed.”

  


“I won't.” Marco said, knowing it was an empty promise. He couldn't predict what was going to happen next- David was too much of a loose cannon. “I love you.”

  


“Love you too.” Ax said, pushing himself to his feet. “I'm going to stay in with Astrid tonight. Do you need anything?”

  


“Leave the kitchen window unlocked, thats all I need.”

  


Ax blinked at the strange request, but nodded.

  


Marco closed his eyes, focusing on the morph he had used so many times, grateful that centuries of expertise had given him the ability to keep his clothing- even if he still wore a tight morphing suit underneath them.

  


Two minutes later, an osprey flew out the window.

 


End file.
